It is one of the most terrifying mysteries of the 21st century. So many grisly and unexplained elements that it has gone viral and inspired hundreds, if not thousands, of conspiracy theorists, amateur detectives, and calls for action. It is the mystery of what happened to Elisa Lam. And What Happened to Elisa Lam? is the name of a new film in the works by documentarians Jake Anderson and Jared Salas. See the video below, which will also lead to their Kickstarter page:

When Horrible Imaginings Film Festival outreach director Sterling Anno posted about this project on the Facebook page and Twitter, both platforms kicked off a lot of response. The fascination with this story has clearly lost none of its potency. What drew me to the project enough to want to discuss it, though, was the intended focus on Lam as a human being, in addition to the mystery itself. The humanity of victims in these mysteries can get lost in the details, but Anderson and Salas seem to keep Elisa Lam front and center as a human being. I reached out for an interview, and here it is!

In this episode, Sterling joins me to talk to Jake Anderson about:

The bizarre synchronicities and coincidences surrounding this particular mystery

The question of ghoulishness when creating true crime projects

Why this story fascinates so much

Who was Elisa Lam?

What is it about the viral video that made this case such a part of the zeitgeist?

Some of the details surrounding Lam’s death, and how it affected others

More–so listen and share!

Remember… If you are a filmmaker, we want to see your latest scares! Horrible Imaginings Film Festival is now accepting submissions! Submit today to the film festival Shant Hamassian, director of Night of the Slasher, says is “five stars across the board!” Horrible Imaginings Film Festival proudly accepts entries via FilmFreeway.com, the world’s best online submission platform. FilmFreeway offers free HD online screeners, unlimited video storage, digital press kits, and more. Click below to submit with FilmFreeway.